1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an instruction system for a remote-control robot which works unmanned at a remote place such as space far from the earth, and particularly to an instruction system which enables an operator on the earth to operate a remote-control robot in space while monitoring on the earth the work of the robot substantially on a real time basis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, there is a necessity to provide a remote-control robot which can work unmanned in special work circumstances such as space.
To realize such a remote-control robot, it is proposed to use a conventional instruction system such as master/slave (M/S) method shown in FIG. 1. In this figure, a picture of a work manipulator 101 in space is taken by a stereo camera 103. Images from the stereo camera 103 are displayed on a display 105. While monitoring the images on the display 105, an operator operates an instruction manipulator 107 to drive the work manipulator 101 via a servo controller 109.
However, unlike controlling the robot at a proximal position on the earth, there is a dead time due to a communication delay between space and the earth. Therefore, a delay of one second or more is caused after the instruction manipulator 107 is operated to move the work manipulator 101 until motions of the work manipulator 101 are displayed on the display 105 on the earth. Therefore, the operator is forced to give instructions to the work manipulator 101 according to motions thereof which are based on instructions given one second before or more by the operator through the instruction manipulator 107. Namely, the operator cannot catch motions of the work manipulator 101 on a real time basis. This may be very dangerous.
In executing unmanned works in special work circumstances such as space as shown in FIG. 1, the conventional instruction system of the M/S method is hard to realize as a stable operation because of communication delays between space and the earth.